Tomorrow is September 11, 2011 (ten years after those who wish to harm us carried out their terrorist act on our country). I’m remembering and blogging today about the late Americans Todd Beamer, and the brave passengers of flight 93 who gave their lives bravely in the face of evil. With their brave decision, Todd and the passengers of flight 93 launched the first counteroffensive in the war on terror,” President George W. Bush said. “Americans are alive today because the passengers and crew of Flight 93 chose to act, and we will forever be grateful.”
The other three planes hijacked by al-Qaeda on that day hit their high-profile targets: the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. But those on board Flight 93, which left Newark for San Francisco before hijackers turned it around, realized what was happening and revolted against their four assailants. A plane now thought to have been heading for the Capitol or the White House instead crashed in an anonymous field. No one on the ground was killed.
After United Airlines Flight 93 was hijacked, Beamer and other passengers communicated with people on the ground via in-plane and cell phones, and learned that the World Trade Center had been attacked using hijacked airplanes.
Beamer tried to place a credit card call through a phone located on the back of a plane seat but was routed to a customer-service representative instead, who passed him on to GTE supervisor Lisa Jefferson. Beamer reported that one passenger was killed and, later, that a flight attendant had told him the pilot and co-pilot had been forced from the cockpit and may have been wounded. He was also on the phone when the plane made its turn in a southeasterly direction, a move that had him briefly panicking. Later, he told the operator that some of the plane’s passengers were planning to “jump on” the hijackers and fly the plane into the ground before the hijackers’ plan could be followed through. Beamer also recited The Lord’s Prayer with Jefferson. According to Jefferson, Beamer’s last audible words were “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll
Beamer was posthumously awarded with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2002.
As we all go through our busy day (tomorrow) I hope all of you will take a moment to remember the courage of those brave Americans who make us all proud to be an American. This reminds us that every man has value and can change the course of history by a compassionate and brave deed. God bless America and keep us safe another year!
The best to our followers from Jean Holland-Rose and the staff at InsideDesignOrlando.
